Teacher Training

The Cherwell School is committed to ensuring that teacher training in our region is supported by Oxfordshire schools to enable sustainable growth. We are one of the lead schools in OTSA (Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance) and have responsibility for Initial Teacher Training.

The Cherwell School- and our alliance of schools- has been involved in teacher training for many years and we are now able to design, run and accredit places on School Direct Initial Teacher Training Programmes through The Cherwell OTSA SCITT and Oxfordshire Teacher Training.

The Cherwell OTSA SCITT

Our initial teacher training programmes, and the principles which underpin our approach, maintain the values that run throughout the Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance – Aspiration, Collaboration, Excellence – and therefore we seek to work with partner schools in an open and transparent way that promotes the very best outcomes.

We are a school-based and school-driven organisation which offers innovative and focussed programmes that develop the kinds of teachers that we need in our schools in Oxfordshire. Addressing the recruitment challenges that schools across Oxfordshire are currently facing is one of our key priorities, and one that we have already demonstrated significant success with.

85% of the teachers who trained on our Salaried School Direct programme in 2014-15 are now working successfully as NQTs in state schools in Oxfordshire, nearly all of them in their main placement school. Our numbers have grown significantly again this year and we are currently training 86 Associate Teachers (trainees) who are working in over 60 primary, special and secondary schools across Oxfordshire.

Partner schools and local schools who are interested in being involved in our ITT programmes should visit the OTSA website for more information. Candidates who would like more information about the programmes and how to apply should visit the new Oxfordshire Teacher Training website.

The Cherwell School is an academy which is a part of the River Learning Trust which is an exempt charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales with registered company number 7966500, its registered office is The Cherwell School, Marston Ferry Road, Oxford OX2 7EE.